Taking baby to fireworks?

[Jewels06]

Just wondered if this was okay, I don't feel like it's safe but wanted some other opinions. My DS is a few days from being 8 months and DH wants to see fireworks - it won't be right up close but I'm sure the noise will still be semi-loud. TIA!

[Aufilia]

We aren't, but not because of the noise being dangerous... I just don't think he'll like them because even if they don't scare him, the show won't start until wwwaaayyy past his bedtime. By then he'll be far too cranky for being out and about. I don't really stay up past 10 myself since DS is usually up by 6, so I figured he and I are better off staying home and attempting to sleep at normal times.

[Nicole730]

We going to. We will be quite close too, DH's uncle is setting them off in his yard. I love fireworks though and would be sad to miss them myself.

DS slept through the fireworks the past 2 years, he was 2/3 months and 14/15 months. And by slept through, I mean he was sitting on my lap and we had front row seats. So, because of that, I'm not too concerned about DD minding them.

[Knitting Mama]

We're not going. Cecilia really doesn't like the dark, so that alone would scare her. Adding in the noise of the fireworks and I just don't see it being fun for my 3 month old.

[cristeen]

My little guy's bedtime is well before dark.

[illumini]

In my city we do a couple of different fireworks displays. One of them always is on July 3rd. We happen to live about a mile a way. It's huge too (about 150,000 people). So we walked and wore the baby in my wrap. He loved it! The people, the lights, the music, the sounds. When the fireworks came I had him on my front and I just slightly pushed one ear up against my chest with my palm. I stacked the other hand on top for added sound muffling. He was super happy and watched them intently. Afterward we walked around the lake and he fell asleep. It really was quite enjoyable!

There's another one that we are going to go to tomorrow. I was pregnant last year at this same fireworks display. Its very sentimental to me.

Oh and my son is 7 1/2!

[Mom2M]

We are going. They'll be loud but not like we are underneath them. We took DD1 when she was about the same age and she slept through them. Since DD2's bedtime is well before the fireworks, I think she'll probably sleep through them too, lol

[bubbamummy]

we're watching the fireworks from the top of the mountain that way we get to watch but without the noise! Its also past my toddlers bedtime, so he can fall asleep in the car and we get to have a 'car date' with sleeping children in the back...yeah..our life is pretty sad like that

[Plummeting]

We just went tonight. DD's almost 3.5 months. She LOVED it. It was loud (they were setting them off just on the other side of a small lake) but she didn't care at all. She laughed and chewed her fingers the whole time. It was past her bedtime, but we have an older child, so we don't have the luxury of skipping things just because the baby should be in bed. lol

[Geigerin]

I knew there'd be a thread like this! We're taking our 3 1/2 month old tonight. She's been pretty high needs, and it's past her bedtime, but my husband has his heart set on going. We can walk there from our house (it's 3 1/2 miles up the greenway from us). However, I think we'll drive in case Madeline has a meltdown. Hoping for the best!!

[mommariffic]

We have a 4 day old, and have no choice but to introduce him to fireworks!

We live on the Hudson River, across from Manhattan so they are directly in back of our house. It's our first year living here, and apparently they are breath taking and apparently LOUD. DD will be outside, but DS will be inside in our sun room with the door closed so hopefully it won't freak him out.

We did bring DD when she was younger though, and she slept through them so I'm not too worried!

[ellairiesmom]

nak
we did them last night & both dds did great. we were very close too-it was an annual bbq at a friend's lake house. we used our peltor ear muffs for dd2 (5 mos) & she never startled or gave any indication something was wrong/bothering her. she did however follow the colors/visuals all over the sky & was quite interested!

[tzs]

we just went and loved it!

[pearl2]

HC loved it! I loved seeing her glassy, wide eyes light up with the explosions. She pointed and laughed and then decided she was sleepy in the middle of it. I had her in the babyhawk and it went great.

[sunnygir1]

I put ear plugs in my ds; it was great. When dd was a baby, she hated ear plugs and earmuffs (for sound) and would not tolerate them. Ds, however, didn't mind a bit, and he loved the fireworks.

Incidentally, dd is now 3.5 and loves her hearing protection (earmuffs).

[Whimsical]

We ended up taking our 6 week old last night. We used ear muffs and he did great. The night before that, he slept in my Beco with the ear muffs while the family set off our own fireworks; last night, he slept in my lap. He jumped and woke up when everyone cheered at the end of the show, but it didn't phase him a bit before that. It ended up being a lot of fun and went a lot better than I expected it to!

[elmh23]

We lit them off in front of my SIL's house and all of our kids (ages 5, 3 and 4 months) loved them. The baby didn't mind the sound and actually fell asleep staring at the pretty colors

[akind1]

DS is a couple weeks younger than yours, OP, and he loved it! we went to a huge thing on a military base, and he laughed at the cannons, and was mesmerized by the lights.

As far as past his bedtime. . . he doesn't really have one; generally it is between 9 and 10, and it was over by 10, he fell asleep in the Ergo on the walk back to the car, and didn't wake up except to eat until 9 a.m on Monday! LOL

[Yaliina]

nak

We took both DS's to the Fort for the show- DS#1 is 4, so he was super-excited to go, and DS#2 was 5 days, so he had no choice. I did what PP did, and just gently pressed my hand against his exposed ear while he nursed right through the show. As long as you aren't setting them off yourself, fireworks are not enough to damage hearing. The "bangs" are too short-lived and not loud enough to do any permanent damage, as long as you're not right on top of them.